Intravenous infusion solutions are supplied in standard plastic disposable bags. They are conventionally suspended from a hook on a stand and the infusion liquid is delivered into the vein or the marrow of the bone by an injection or trocar needle. In situations where no stand or other raised object is available for suspending the bag, this last one must be held above the patient by a nurse or paramedics in order to ensure liquid flow by gravity, evidently occupying the person unnecessarily, while he or she could treat other patients in the meantime.
In order to remedy this drawback, several devices have been developed which are designed to hold a conventional infusion bag and to impose a certain pressure onto its side walls so as to cause the liquid to flow out through the needle into the patient's blood stream. A first device includes two flexible boards which are hingedly connected at one end and interconnected at the other as soon as a bag has been placed between the two boards. This device suffers from the drawback of exerting initial high pressure on the bag which pressure gradually diminishes towards the end of the infusion process. Another device includes two spaced-apart inflatable bags to be placed applied to the two side walls of the infusion bag. By gradually inflating those bags it will be possible to attain an even pressure onto the infusion bag resulting in an even flow of infusion. Still another device contains a solid support opposite one inflatable bag, adapted to have the infusion bag to be placed between board and inflatable bag.
All three devices have to be held in stock in addition to the regular infusion bags, or have to be carried separately to the place of an accident, or into the battle field and must be operated as separate units.
It is, therefore, the main object of the present invention to provide an infusion bag which includes integral means for causing an even flow of infusion liquid, irrespective of the relative position of the bag with regard to the patient, e.g., the device can be placed on the floor or on the stretcher of the patient.
It is another object of the invention to provide an infusion bag to be operated without the above-mentioned drawbacks.
Still another object is to provide an infusion bag of almost the same size and weight as the conventional bag, but with the inherent means for causing regular liquid flow.
Furthermore it is a final object to provide the bag of the present invention at a cost not much higher than the cost of a conventional infusion bag.